Devotional Tidbits, March 31 – April 8, 2012

The Word for You Today

1.      “Working for God – His Way”

• For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  (Eph 2:10)
• Be purpose driven, not work driven.
• Seek His will, expect His assistance, tap into His power.

2.      “How to Behave in Church”

• Reach out to the lonely.
• Don’t talk about others, talk to them.

3.      “Christ Is Totally Credible”

• Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.  When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. (John 19:28-30)

• The prophecies were all fulfilled:

·  Riding on a donkey – Rejoice, O people of Zion!
    Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you.
    He is righteous and victorious,
yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—
    riding on a donkey’s colt.  (Zec 9:9)

·  Betrayal - Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.  (Ps 41:9)

·  Sold - And I said to them, “If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.” So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.  (Zec 11:12)

·  Gambling for garments - They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. (Ps 22:18)

·   Unbroken bones - For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!  (Ps 34:20)

·  Burial - He had done no wrong
    and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
    he was put in a rich man’s grave. (Is 53:9)

·  Raised again - For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.  (Ps 16:10)

4.      “The Blessings of the Blood”

• Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.  (Col 1:22)
• “reconciled” – to be friends as we once were
• We can walk and talk with God as Adam and Eve once did, because the blood of Christ has reconciled us.
• A ransom was paid to set us free from our sins – the blood of Christ has forgiven us and set us free.

Sparkling Gems from the Greek

John 14:16

New Living Translation (NLT)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^[a] who will never leave you.

• Having the Holy Spirit is like walking with Jesus at our side.
• “another” – the very same kind, a duplicate; the Holy Spirit was like Jesus, except invisible
• Jesus was the exact image of His Father God…He reflected God’s character, and the Holy Spirit reflects the character of Jesus.
• The ministry of Jesus continues through the Holy Spirit
• When I am obedient to the Holy Spirit the life of Jesus shows forth through me.

John 13:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

·         Do not let any problem become an issue that is blown out of proportion and destroys a relationship…instead show love and forgiveness.

Luke 22:43-44

New Living Translation (NLT)

Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

·  “agony” – a struggle, great effort, conflict, anguish, distress

·  Because of the pain Jesus went through in the Garden of Gethsemane, He is able to understand our agony, our emotional stress, the situations we are going through…and He will give us the strength to make it.

·  I do not have to handle the challenges I face by myself – Jesus is there to empower me and comfort me.

·  “strengthened” – to empower, to renew vitality, to be recharged

·  After the angel strengthened Jesus, He was ready to face the cross.

·  I am never alone.  No matter what situation I am in, God is there to strengthen me.

Mark 14:44-45

New Living Translation (NLT)

 The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.”  As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.

·  The level of our commitment is tested by conflict and disagreements.

·  Judas called Jesus “Rabbi” or “Teacher”, but never accepted Him as Lord of his life.

·  Jesus never stopped loving Judas, and would have forgiven him for his betrayal if Judas would have given his attention to Jesus.

·  We are called to love and forgive that person who has deeply offended us or hurt us, just as Jesus did.

John 18:4-6

New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked.   “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.  “I Am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) As Jesus said “I Am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! 

·  No one took Jesus, He willingly gave himself over to the soldiers.

·  There is no force that can overtake Jesus, the Great I AM, for He is the Creator of all and rules over all, and His power lives in us as we submit to His authority.